Pet Food Vitamins
Dogs and cats are able to store some of their vitamins over the course of the day, regardless of diet. Others are excreted daily if not metabolized and must be provided in their daily diet to avoid deficiency.
There are some excellent sources of more in-depth pet nutrition information that can be found in our resources section.
Water soluble vitamins
Water soluble vitamins B complex and Vitamin C, are either used or eliminated from your pet each day. As a result, a minimum level of these vitamins must be provided regularly to avoid deficiency.
Common ingredient listings for B Complex vitamins include B1 (Thiamine), B2 (Riboflavin), B3 (Niacin), B5 (Pantothenic acid), B6 (Pyridoxine), B7 (Biotin), B9 (Folic acid), and B12.
Vitamin C is often listed as Ascorbic acid in pet food.
Pet foods which carry the AAFCO designation ensure that a food contains the minimum daily requirement of these vitamins. You can also supplement with water soluble vitamins without concern of giving too much.
Fat soluble vitamins
The fat soluble vitamins A, D, E and K are stored in your pet’s body until they are metabolized. Caution should be used when supplementing with products containing high amounts of these vitamins to avoid toxic effects.
Vitamin E is often listed as tocopherol or mixed tocopherols as a pet food ingredient. It is used as a preservative.